Photos: Record breakers at the Games so far

China's Ye Shiwen set a world record to win the women's 400 Individual Medley.

The 16-year-old Ye trailed American teenager Elizabeth Beisel but pulled away in the freestyle leg to win gold in 4 minutes, 28.43 seconds. She beat the mark of 4:29.45s set by Stephanie Rice at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Beisel settled for silver in 4:31.27, while Li Xuanxu gave China another medal by taking the bronze in 4:32.91. Rice was sixth.

Photos: Record breakers at the Games so far

Dana Vollmer ended a lifetime of frustration and serious battles with her health to win the 100 butterfly gold and break another of the supposedly untouchable world records set during the 2009 World Championships in Rome at the height of the bodysuit controversy.

The American, who used to take a defibrillator to her races because of a heart condition, swam like a woman possessed, powering to victory in 55.98 seconds, slicing 0.08 off the previous mark set by Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom.